The Clinical Research Unit (CRU) of the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (JCCC) was established in 1993 as the first major core facility for support of clinical cancer research at UCLA. The establishment of this unit was critical to move the Division of Clinical/Transitional Research of the JCCC and its investigators into a position from which it could play a significant role in investigator-initiated, cooperative group and industry-sponsored clinical research in cancer. In the last competitive renewal in 1997, the review panel noted, "The CRU was organized in 1993 in response to the previous critique, which cited the poor organization and infrastructure for clinical trials research at the Center. Clearly, much progress has been made in the centralization of clinical trial data management. This resource has expanded in scope and size over the prior grant period. In addition, the creation of the Community-Based/UCLA Oncology Research Network utilizing institutional funds has the potential to significantly increase access to clinical research studies." The reviewers went on to note, "the development of the CRU has been a major positive development in clinical trials research. However, a number of these changes, such as the development of the network and of a computerized database, have only recently occurred, and thus, in is current state of development, this core is rated as excellent." Since that assessment in 1997, the CRU has undergone further significant expansion, and is now a dominant positive force in the development, implementation, conduct and assessment of cancer clinical research at the JCCC. At the time of the last competitive renewal the CRU, the central administration and Network personnel had a total of 55 full-time positions known as FTEs. Currently, the CRU has a total of 107 combined FTEs, with 72 onsite at UCLA and 35 working in the field. This represents almost a doubling of the CRU staff, and directly reflects the tremendous growth this service has undergone. This growth is directly linked to the significant increase in productivity in clinical research at the JCCC. Over the current CCSG funding cycle, the total number of patients accrued to therapeutic clinical trials in cancer at the JCCC was 5,335, as compared to 3,348 patients accrued during the preceding five-year CCSG funding cycle (1992-1997). This significant increase in accrual goes across Program Areas and clinical disciplines of the JCCC.